How does an undrafted safety from Middle Tennessee State become the most important voice in one of the NFL’s most storied locker rooms? With Philadelphia’s youth movement in full swing, Reed Blankenship becomes the heartbeat of a rising team. In a city where expectations never drop below Super Bowl or bust, that question isn’t just poetic, it’s pivotal. In 2025, a 26-year-old who entered the league with no guarantees could potentially become the Eagles’ defensive soul.

Blakenship isn’t just the flashiest name on the depth chart. He’s never made a Pro Bowl or cashed in on a headline-stealing contract. But he’s outlasted turnover, turmoil, and star departures. And now that veteran cornerback Darius Slay has departed, he is in charge of the Eagles’ defense. From undrafted free agent to locker room anchor, Blakenship’s story has shifted from survival to stewardship, following the spotlight that has followed.

Slay, now a Pittsburgh Steeler, didn’t leave the leadership baton on the floor. He handed it directly to Blankenship. “It’s an honor,” Reed said. “I came here with Slay… just trying to model my leadership role like that.” As Slay sees it, Blakenship’s work ethic, locker room respect, and the IQ on the field make him a natural successor. The numbers back that up too, as in the past two seasons, Blankenship has recorded 191 tackles, 17 pass deflections, and 7 interceptions. Only a handful of NFL safeties, just like Jessie Bates and Julian Love, can match that output.

But what really cements Blakenship’s elevation isn’t just stat sheets or sound bites, but it’s a circumstance. With Slay gone and C.J Gardner-Johnson traded to the Texans, the Eagles’ secondary is officially in reset mode. Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, and Kelee Ringo, who are all 23 or younger, are the expected starting corners. Whoever wins the safety sport and whether it’s Sydney Brown, Andrew Mukuba, or Tristin McCollum. They will have played fewer snaps than Blankenship logged in a single season. “People have to step up,” he said. “I’ve been here the longest. It’s time to take the reins.”

Darius Slay’s role in Pittsburgh signals a bold gamble for the Steelers’ secondary

While Blankenship assumes a mentor’s role in Philly, Slay finds himself embarking on a complex, high-stakes situation in Pittsburgh. After trading away All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, the Steelers are banking on a three-headed defensive backfield featuring Slay, Jalen Ramsey, and Joey Porter Jr. As insider Gerry Dulac reported, the plan is to keep all three on the field “all the time.”

It’s a versatile but risky solution. Ramsey may shift between slot corner and free safety, depending on the package, while Slay and Porter hold down the outside. The idea is that positional mobility will hide the fact that there isn’t a classic deep-field general like Fitzpatrick, but it also makes communication and chemistry more important. The whole back-end structure could wobble if one piece collapses.

Meanwhile, Slay’s departure has created a vacuum that Philadelphia didn’t wait around to fill. Blankenship’s emergence is less about replacing production and more about replicating culture. The Eagles’ defense, which was ranked No. 1 in the NFL in 2024, boasts a talented roster, but do they have enough leaders? That’s tougher to measure and even challenging to teach. Blankenship’s “open door” policy with younger players shows he’s internalized Slay’s blueprint. Now, he’s putting his own stamp on it.

As the 2025 season nears, two legacies, one beginning and one redefining and moving forward on different paths. Slay will try to stabilize a Steelers defense under pressure to perform without Minkah. Blankenship, on the other hand, is being asked to guide a young Eagles secondary back to dominance. Both are important. But in Philly, it’s not the 33-year-old corner who is in charge; it’s the 26-year-old safety who has something to show and even more to protect.